Some letter writers have suggested that it would be fair for federal employees to receive the same cost-of-living increase as Social Security recipients.

Between 1979 and 2005, I worked for Social Security. I recall only one year that the employees received a larger increase than the beneficiaries. We received, I think, .02 percent more that year.

I would agree that employees should receive the same increase, except now that I’m retired I receive the same pension increase that Social Security gets.

I’ll stick with the big money.

Joanne Soraya

Platte CityStrengthen dollar

The recurring huge deficits that our federal government is incurring annually and the printing of vast amounts of dollars by our Federal Reserve Bank to repurchase U.S. government bonds are not sustainable. These actions will lead to runaway inflation and will have a very destructive effect on our economy.

The U.S. dollar is the currency of international trade. Many countries, particularly China, Russia and Brazil, are working to use other currencies or gold as the standard for international trade. If the dollar is dethroned, it will have serious negative consequences on our economy.

Every U.S. citizen would be adversely affected, and the U.S. becomes like the currency of a Third World nation.

Albert Cinelli

LeawoodQuestions of faith

The Kansas City Star Magazine of Jan. 19 had a column, “Let 2014 be the year we accept atheists,” written by Cindy Hoedel.

Let me say that I accept atheists but not their ideas. Maybe I would accept their ideas if they could answer some of my questions.

I think many atheists believe in the Big Bang theory. I might believe that, too, if they could explain to me:

1) What was it that went bang?

2) From where did it come?

3) The explosion must have required a tremendous amount of energy. What was the source of this energy?

4) How did life arise from that which had no life?

5) If the first life was simple cells, which grew by dividing, how did sexual reproduction enter the picture?

I never hear any atheists addressing these questions. Do they want me to accept by faith what seems to me to be science fiction?

David F. Robinson

Overland ParkMarch for Life

Kudos to The Kansas City Star for the Jan. 21 article, “Kansas students to lead March for Life.” It is inspiring to know so many people, particularly young adults, are willing to take a stand for their beliefs.

For more than 40 years, hundreds of thousands have marched at the nation’s capital on the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade, but this event has been ignored by the media. Thank you for not only reporting on the March for Life but also on the magnitude of local participation and for making it front-page news.

Karen Miller

Kansas CityDowd column

Maureen Dowd’s Jan. 23 column, “Romney as human, but, really, another run?” appalled me. I cannot remember reading a column so full of sarcasm, passing itself off as journalism.

Dowd writes about former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney “kneeling on the floor of hotel rooms” and “the miraculous cinematic oil can for the Tin Man.” The entire article comes across as character bashing.

It is a given that The Kansas City Star is a Democratic newspaper. But I’m amazed it chose to print this.

Nicki Naylor

Kansas CityBack KU housing

In recent weeks, a number of writers have questioned plans for a $17.5 million apartment building for basketball players and non-athletes at the University of Kansas (1-19, A1, “Recruiting arms race has a new weapon”).

According to Forbes Magazine, in 2013 KU’s men’s basketball team was the second most valuable team in the nation, generating $32.9 million. (Louisville was first.)

Much of this revenue goes toward academics. KU associate athletic director Jim Marchiony has stated that the university would not finance the project. Instead, the apartments will be financed by private donors and bonds paid from revenue generated from the apartments.

The fact of the matter is that the entire university benefits from the success of men’s basketball as donations to the school increase when the team excels. People are free to donate as they please, be it to a church, disaster relief or education.

KU is not building the Taj Mahal, as depicted in an editorial cartoon. The university is building an apartment complex for both athletes and non-athletes that attracts them to KU.

Rick Gould

Overland ParkSteve Rose column

I fail to understand why Steve Rose, in his Jan. 19 column, “Give Congress some credit for tough workdays,” is surprised at the amount of money congressmen must raise today to be elected.

He should understand it takes a lot more money to sell a defective product to the American people than a honest one.

James Tate

Bonner SpringsBuy American

Why not find a way to solve our problems instead of making cuts to the most vulnerable? I challenge politicians to raise people up instead of cutting services.

If everyone had an equal opportunity to a job that paid a living wage, it would solve the debt crisis without all of these proposed cuts to vital programs. These programs would shrink if people had jobs that would provide for their families.

If we as a nation, not divided as Democrat or Republican, would make a concerted effort to demand and buy American-made goods, we could bring about a positive change in our nation’s debt.

I propose giving tax cuts to companies that produce in America and raise taxes on companies that outsource. The government needs to encourage corporations to renew the social contract with the people of America.

We also need to celebrate the American workers who have the highest productivity in the world instead of constantly denigrating them.

Be a maker not a taker. Buy American.

Arthur and Diana Basler

Lee’s SummitChiefs tickets

OK, Kansas City Chiefs fans, get ready for the “Carl Peterson Shuffle.” You remember the lines.

• The new-look Chiefs.

• We had a winning season.

• We made it to the postseason.

• We have a new coach.

• Break out the chart showing the cost of a Chiefs game vs. other cities like San Francisco, New York and Washington, D.C.

Remember, even the Curse of the Bambino came to an end — after 86 years.

Jerry L. Daily

Kansas CityLegalize marijuana

The issue of whether to legalize marijuana has become a hot topic in the last few years. I think the government should go ahead and legalize it for several reasons.

First, the government could put taxes on it to help pay off our debt.

Second, the amount of people who smoke marijuana would probably decrease.

This is because a large percentage of the teens and adults who are smoking marijuana are just doing it to be rebellious. If it were to become legal, they would no longer consider smoking marijuana as fun as it was because it would no longer be rebellious.

Third and finally, I believe that since almost all people can get their hands on marijuana, why not legalize it so the government has control of it?

This would help keep people out of jail. Then the people who really need to be in jail could be there instead of committing the same crimes after being pushed back onto the streets because of lack of space in our prison facilities.